Joust Do It
by DinerGuy
Summary: Castle and the boys participate in the sport of kings and Easter Bunnies.


_Anyone who follows Nathan Fillion on Twitter will know where Jden got this idea. She prompted me to write it, so I did. And now I'll post it for you to all enjoy, like a succulent box of Peeps in your Easter basket. Or a chocolate bunny, if you don't like Peeps._

_Thanks to Kkarrie for reading this over and helping me out with suggestions. You're like the older kid who helps the little one find the hidden eggs. Though you don't take them when we locate them; you actually let me keep them._

_Disclaimer: Castle? Not mine. Esposito, Ryan, Beckett, and Gates? Also not mine. This fic itself? Mine. Copyright infringement? Not intended. Profit? Ha! Oh, wait...you were serious. Nope, not here either._

**wmwmw**

Detective Kate Beckett strode towards the break room, ready for yet another cup of coffee. Although it was a slow day case-wise, it had been very full of paperwork, and she was pretty sure she would need at least two more caffeine fixes before the day was through.

As she entered the room, intent on the coffee maker, she heard familiar voices. Looking towards the corner from which the sounds were emanating, she saw three forms huddled around the microwave.

The machine was humming to indicate that it was on, although Beckett couldn't exactly see what was so interesting as to warrant the three men's varying exclamations.

"Come on, man!"

"Go, go, g- no!"

"Castle!" Beckett broke in.

The writer jumped at her voice, turning with a gleeful grin on his features. Esposito and Ryan turned as well, although it was obvious they would rather still be engaged in their previous activity, as they each kept looking over their shoulders at the microwave.

"Hey, Beckett! How's it going?" Castle asked innocently.

She raised an eyebrow. "Mind telling me what's so interesting in there?"

Before she could get a response, the humming ceased, replaced with a loud beep as it died off. All three men spun to look inside.

"Ha! I told you!" Esposito appeared quite satisfied. "That's twenty bucks, bro," he announced, holding out a hand. "My chick totally decimated yours."

"It's a matter of opinion," Ryan retorted. Besides, you weren't even watching. How do you know yours won? Maybe mine got yours first."

Castle opened the microwave, allowing the scent of warm sugar to drift out. "Well, you know what this means. Rematch."

He pulled a paper plate from the microwave. Beckett could see two brightly-colored puffs on the plate, each with the same two toothpicks inserted in them.

"Are those Peeps?" Beckett couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes." Castle looked slightly offended by her tone. "If you must know, we were holding another exciting round of our Peep jousting tournament."

Beckett nodded slowly as she looked over at the other two, who were currently occupied with opening another cellophane-wrapped package from the stack on the counter beside them.

Ryan looked up when he felt her watching them. "Castle showed us. It's actually really interesting..." He trailed off at the look on her face.

His partner handed him a toothpick as he looked over at Beckett. "Want to join in?" he offered.

"That's okay," she declined with a grin. Reaching for a cup from the counter by the coffeemaker, she poured herself a cup. "I have actual work to do."

"Aw, come on, Beckett," Castle tried to persuade her. "I'm already down forty bucks. The least you could do is make it interesting."

"Hey!" Esposito protested. "You lost that fair and square; just because your lame chicken couldn't take the heat doesn't mean I cheated."

"I never said that," Castle held up his hands. He gave Beckett a pleading look.

She just shook her head. "Thanks, Castle, but I'll leave you boys to it. Looks like you have things under control here anyway." She crossed the short distance to where Castle was studying the contents of the paper plate in his hands. Plucking one of the sticky candies from it, she gave the others a smile. "Have fun."

"Hey!" the writer managed. "I was investigating!"

"Would you like me to confiscate both?" Beckett returned.

Castle promptly stuffed the second Peep into his mouth.

Beckett laughed and retrieved her coffee mug. As she headed back to her desk, she heard the telltale beeping of someone entering numbers on a touchpad, then the microwave started humming again. The last sound she heard before getting out of earshot was Esposito and Ryan cheering their Peeps on.

With a grin, she wondered what Gates would say if their captain happened to make a coffee stop in the next few minutes.


End file.
